Greenhills Riding Club qualified, for the second successive year, for the final of the AIRC Team Show Jumping Championship Final after a two-way jump-off.

Nine teams representing seven clubs came forward to the National Horse Sport Arena in Abbottstown for the qualifier for West Leinster clubs last Sunday.

Three clubs – Abbeylands, Greenhills, and Moyglare – were level on zero faults after the first round with the host club, Rathfarnham, next best with 4 to carry.

Abbeylands dropped out of contention after the second round when they finished on a tally of 12 in fourth place behind Rathfarham who moved on to the podium in third with 8 faults.

Greenhills and Moyglare, however, were level on 4 faults each leaving a two-way jump to decide the top spot.

Grainne Alexander was drawn first to take on the shortened course and the experienced captain produced a faultless round on Cheeky Blonde in a time of 41.18.

Marie McGreevy got the better of Alexander’s time riding La Bouvieres Clover who crossed the line in 39.81 but an unlucky fault at the last left the Moyglare club in the runners-up spot.

The Greenhills team of Jane Fallon (Beachball Sally), Olivia Casey (Bonnie), Roland Dalton (Mrs Maggie) and Grainne Alexander    (Cheeky Blonde) will progress to the final at the Dublin Horse Show in August.

The Moyglare team of Caroline Sullivan (Killags Royal Ace), Zohra Smyth (Walterstown Juan), Lisa Doran (Hilly) and Maire McGreevy (La Bouveries Clover) will have another chance of qualifying at the AIRC Ridsing Clubs Festival in June.

(Image:  Darragh McNicholas)